Samuel Judy (August 19, 1773 – January 12, 1838) was a Swiss-born

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

pioneer, military leader and legislator. Born in the canton of

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (B ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, Judy and his family moved to

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

and then to

Kaskaskia The Kaskaskia were one of the indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands. They were one of about a dozen cognate tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation, also called the Illinois Confederation. Their longstanding homeland was in ...

, Illinois Territory. Judy became a colonel in the Illinois Militia taking part in expeditions against the Native Americans; he was also one of the first settlers in

Madison County, Illinois Madison County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a part of the Metro East in southern Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 264,776, making it the eighth-most populous county in Illinois and the most po ...

in the Goshen Settlement. In 1814–1815, Judy served in the Illinois Territorial Council of the Illinois Territorial Legislature. He also served as county commissioner for Madison County, Illinois. Judy died in Madison County, Illinois. His son Thomas Judy served in the

Illinois General Assembly The Illinois General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. It has two chambers, the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 181 ...

.Biographical Sketch of Samuel Judy
/ref> Samuel Judy was also a slave holder. There are bills of sale in the Madison County Recorder's Office recording his purchase of slaves in 1816.

Notes

1773 births 1838 deaths People from Madison County, Illinois People from Kaskaskia, Illinois County commissioners in Illinois Members of the Illinois Territorial Legislature 19th-century American politicians Swiss emigrants to the United States {{Illinois-politician-stub